Chapter 3 - The Shukaku Lives!

Gaara’s head fell forward, resting on his chest. He was asleep. In a battle, this would normally be a REALLY bad thing to do. But in Gaara’s case, it all but assured victory.
Slowly, sand began to cover Gaara, and it kept growing, completely covering the Kazekage. But it didn’t stop there. In a short time, the sand demon within Gaara would be awakened.
The One-Tailed Shukaku would live again. The sand monstrosity grew into it’s Tanuki-like form, it’s piercing yellow eyes causing some bystanders to shiver with fear.


“Before you kill me…why me, Kazekage-sama? Am I really a worthy test of your skills?”
The Shukaku laughed. “Oh please, there are MUCH more worthy warriors than you. But, somehow, you almost pulled off a win against me. I can’t let that go unpunished…it might lead people to believe that I have a weakness…you’re not actually worth my time. Be honored by the fact that you’re going to die by the hand of a legend. Maybe you’ll be a footnote in history, if you’re lucky. The foolish one who tried to fight off something larger than life single-handedly.”

Ekyt’s thoughts were almost a poison to him at the best of times. People who talked to him had sworn that they had never heard someone doubt himself so much. When they pointed out that he had talent, he pushed the compliments aside (thought he was grateful to receive them). Some people claimed that Ekyt was just being modest, and that it was almost cocky. But anyone who had known him for the last four years knew that was the way he was.
Now Ekyt’s thoughts were becoming a poisonous bile, ready to claim his life. Fortunately, emotions got involved.So he’s not taking me seriously either…what does it take? What do I need to do to be taken seriously, to be a threat, or even respected? That’s it, I’ll give this sand bastard something to remember me by!


Ekyt pulled against the sand, but it wouldn’t give. Gaara’s transformation was almost complete, and Ekyt could do nothing to stop it. But he wasn’t going to let himself die in some psycho sand hug attack. So he opened the first Gate of charka, the Gate of Opening. He felt himself become more powerful. That was normal, and the direct effect of opening the first gate of chakra.
When you open the first Gate, your brain removes the limit on how much muscle you use at one time. Normally, your brain will only allow you to use twenty percent of your muscle. With the first Gate opened, you can use up to one hundred percent.
There were two catches to opening the Gates. One was that it was potentially fatal if done incorrectly. The second was that, once the power was gone, you fatigued quickly and would need to rest.
The power was enough to give Ekyt an escape. He had to use a lot of power, but he broke through from the sand.


Gaara’s Shukaku swiped at the newly-freed Ekyt. Ekyt jumped up on it’s enormous arm and ran, the extra chakra giving him more speed. He landed a solid kick to the Shukaku’s face. The kick, however, did nothing.
“Free at last…so good…I won’t let you force me back in to my prison!”
The Shukaku spoke again, which scared everyone in the Leaf Village more. The creature was so evil and so (rightfully) feared that even the few people who had considered helping Ekyt froze in their tracks, gaping at the sand behemoth that had materialized.
“Get them out of here!” Ekyt shouted to the various chunin who had materialized from the crowd. Why were they just standing around, they had innocent lives to save!
The Shukaku batted Ekyt away, sending him flying back-first into a tree. Adrenaline kicked in, and Ekyt ran back toward the Shukaku. It swiped at him again, but only hit a log. The replacement jutsu had come in the nick of time.
Ekyt threw a series of kunai after he closed the First Gate. The Shukaka put up an arm, stopping them. An exploding tag went off with a loud BANG, creating a small dent in the Shukaku’s arm. It retaliated by used an attack that Ekyt knew all too well…the very attack that had destroyed his (newly healed) left eye four years ago.
“Suna Shuriken!” (Sand Shuriken)


The shuriken were heading for the crowd.
“No! Damn it!” Ekyt got a running start and, just as he had done four years ago, prepared to sacrifice his body for the life of someone else.
The sand shuriken hit his left eye. It was four years ago all over ago. Ekyt clutched his eye, but felt nothing.
“It happened again? But…why?” Ekyt was on his knees, a hand over the hurt sensory appendage. The look of sheer terror in his other eye chilled everyone present to the bone.
The Shukaku roared triumphantly. Then something caught it’s eye. Something wrong. That human kid shouldn’t have been smiling, not after that.
POOF!
“Shadow clone? Where’s the real you?!” the Shukaku snarled. IT began to thrash around, trying to hit Ekyt. The chunin in the crowd woke up and started parading people away from the fight. One chunin looked back, with real sadness in his eyes.
“Rest in Peace,” He said quietly, before hurrying to help the others.


Ekyt was hiding up in a tree, trying to think of a way out of this. The nice thing about fighting something so powerful was that if you couldn’t make a decision, it was made for you.
“Futon: Mugen Sajin Daitoppa!” (Wind Release: Infinite Sand Cloud Great Breakthrough). The Shukaku’s grating voice shouted.
The tree Ekyt had been in was destroyed in the vicious wind attack. The force of the blow sent him to the ground, where he landed hard, face-down. Ekyt was amazed to find that he had only suffered a cut lip and a black eye as a result of the fall. The rest of the attack, the giant sand-filled wind had done more damage, ripping through his shirt and cutting him in countless places. The cuts were small, but stung. Thankfully, his tactical vest had provided him enough protection to continue.



Ekyt saw his opening. He thought of his eye, and how it had been destroyed. He thought about Sasuke defecting, and how he had attacked Sakura. Finally, he thought of all the times he had been bullied. Nothing ever came of it. But one thought brought hate surging to Ekyt’s chest. Why do bad things happen to good people? And why aren’t there any consequences for bad actions performed by bad people? Why is it the innocent who suffer?

(NOTE: THE FOLLOWING JUSTU IS UNIQUE TO EKYT, AND I HONESTLY CAN’T TRANSLATE IT PROPERLY, SO IT WILL BE IN ENGLISH)

Ekyt felt his body begin to ache. For once, pain was a good thing; it meant life. Ekyt’s hate grew in his stomach, then moved to his chest. When it hit it’s zenith, Ekyt reached to his chest and put a hand over his heart. The hand burst into a crackling blue flame, spitting purple sparks all around it.
“The Blue Flame Chakra? I’m honored I get to see it first hand…but it won’t help you, you can’t even hurt me!” The Shukaku’s taunts brought a grin to Ekyt’s face, though it was hidden by his mask.
“Who says I’m aiming for YOU?” Ekyt shot back. He had Gaara in his sites.
The Shukaku, belatedly, realized what Ekyt was going to do. It swung a giant arm at him, but the Leaf Village genin leapt over it.
“TRANSPARENT HAND: BLUE FLAME PROTECTION SEAL!”
Ekyt’ hand moved so fast that the molecular structure began to break down, held together by sheer will. This was the secret to the attack. The molecules vibrate so much that the hand becomes transparent, allowing it to pass through solid surfaces. In this case, the solid surface was Gaara’s stomach.
Ekyt’s hand pierced Gaara’s stomach. It was a gruesome thing to do, but in this case, it was a necessary thing to do. Ekyt squeezed his hand and pulled slightly. Then he removed his hand. Two seconds later, the Shukaku’s claw stabbed Ekyt high on the shoulder, exiting out the other side. But that was all the Shukaku could do.
The Blue Flame Protection seal forced the Shukaku back into Gaara’s body, then sealed it inside. In Ekyt’s weakened state, the seal was temporary. But it ended the fight. Gaara’s chakra was gone, and Ekyt was in too much pain to continue.
The results of the match vary from Village to Village. Sand Villager’s say the match ended it a tie. The Leaf Village maintains that Ekyt won the match BEFORE succumbing to the incredible stab wound.


Sakure and Tsunade materialized from the crowd.
“My God…Sakura-chan, if he keeps losing blood at this rate, he’s dead. We’ve got to…”


Whatever Tsunade-sama was going to say got cut off by Ekyt suddenly leaping up and throwing a forearm out. Sticking out of it five kunai, all of which would have hit Tsunade’s head.
“Don’t make the mistake of attacking, especially if someone’s back is turned!” Ekyt yelled. He didn’t have much chakra left, but he could pull off one more stunt.
“Magen: Kokoni Arazu no jutsu!” (Demonic Illusion: False Surroundings Technique)
The four attackers screamed. What each one saw varied, but they all had the same effect: The body was tricked into seeing something scary that wasn’t there. From one attackers scream of “My God, the water!”, he apparently saw a tidal wave coming at him.
The genjutsu was enough to hold off the four while they were arrested by the newly-arrived ANBU agents. Ekyt gave them a warm “Thank you” and a wave before his body finally started to give out on him due to fatigue and chakra use.
“Ekyt-san! Please, lie down!” Sakura pleaded, grabbing his uninjured arm gently and forcing him to lay on his back. Once he had cooperated, Sakura and Tsunade cut off his shirt at the sleeve so they could get a look at the wound. While it was deep, and certainly painful, there would be no lasting damage if it was treated quickly. With that in mind, Sakura and Tsunade used a special medical jutsu.
“Shosen no jutsu!” (Mystical palm technique [Sometimes called “Chakra palm”])


Ekyt stood with Team Kakashi, and some new guy he didn’t know. The new guy seemed to be as much of a statue as Ekyt. At one point, the guy had tried smiling at Ekyt. That had scared the hell out of Ekyt. The smile looked so fake, and it was out of place. Ekyt did his best to give the impression he was returning it.
“While I can appreciate your bravery, it was grossly misplaced Ekyt-san,” Tsunade-sama began.
“Of course,” Ekyt said politely, his voice giving away nothing. He pulled at his shoulder a little bit, feeling every cut stretch and burn for a second.
“Now, I’ve asked you all here for a reason. Ekyt, you have served as Team 7’s substitute fourth member on and off for four years. The time has come for Team 7’s open position to be filled.”
Ekyt didn’t dare get his hopes up that it would be him.
“This is Sai. Sai, this is Team 7, who you’ll be joining.”
Sakura and Naruto looked downright furious. Ekyt, who didn’t know Sai, kept his emotions in check.
“Congratulations,” Ekyt offered.
“You seem like an asshole,” Sai replied.
Immediately, Kakashi and Tsunade grabbed Ekyt.
“Let me kill him! Just a little! Please!” Ekyt was trying desperately to get at Sai.
“You don’t seem to have a penis,” Sai offered, sounding pleased with having someone to banter with. (NOTE: IF THIS IS FOUND OFFENSIVE, I WILL REMOVE IT IMMEDIATELY!)
“WHAT?! YOU SON OF A-”
Ekyt was really struggling now. Naruto was grinned wickedly. But that faded quickly, as he had to hold back Sakura.
“Sakura-chan, take it easy! Take it easy!” Naruto pleaded, holding the struggling kunoichi back by her waist.
“Don’t say that to Ekyt-san!” she snarled, just inches away from Sai’s face with her fists.
“You seem like a hag,” Sai told her calmly.
Naruto let go of Sakura, either in shock or on purpose. Sakura rushed toward Sai, cocking her fist back.
“TSUTENKYAKU!” (Painful Sky Leg) Tsunade called, slamming her heel on the ground. A crater swallowed up Sakura. Despite this, you could still hear Sakura trying to get out, still trying to get to Sai.



With Ekyt and Sakura each tied to a respective chair to keep them from killing Sai, Tsunade explained.
“Sai doesn’t have experience with emotions or relationships. That was an attempt at being friendly. You see, he learned that people some times express their friendship by bantering and insulting one another. What he said meant the opposite.”
“He still didn’t have to bring…THAT part of me into this!” Ekyt protested, blushing furiously. Of course that was said with two women in the room, one of which he had a major-league crush on.
“He meant no harm. Besides, don’t they call you the pervy samurai?” Tsunade-sama said with a snicker.
“Yeah, but on the opposite sex and…wait, wait, THAT isn’t true! I mean, yeah, the name, but it was an accident!” Ekyt said. He stopped, wondering if he had talked himself into a corner. Probably
Sakura and Tsunade giggled over the look in the flustered young ninja’s eyes. He let them have their fun. He himself, well, he wasn’t having any.


So, Team 7 had been reformed. They didn’t have any missions right away, other than to get to know each other better. Boy, that was serving as an akward time. Sai’s offhand, flippant remarks and insincere smile, Sakura’s violence level raised after Sai made a rather rude comment about “girls like her,” and Naruto was just plain annoyed at the thought of needing another team mate. Kakashi admitted he wasn’t thrilled with the prospect, but orders were orders, he told his team.



As for Ekyt…


“You’re wondering why I didn’t put you on Team 7.” Tsunade wasn’t asking a question, she was making a statement.
Ekyt nodded silently, standing near the window. It was a gorgeous day in Konohagakure. But Ekyt wasn’t the type to really take notice. He couldn’t see the forest for the trees.
“You had your reasons. It’s not my place to question them,” Ekyt said matter-of-factly.
Tsunade chuckled at his stoic response. “But you’re pissed anyway,” she pointed out.
“More or less. Although it’s not just this, as you probably guessed from my meeting with the council the other day,” came Ekyt’s reply. Still, his voice gave nothing away.
“I had to do something about your fight with Gaara. He’s the Kazekage of Sunagakure, what were you thinking?”
Ekyt lost his composure.
“What was I- Wait, are you saying I’m being punished for this?!”
Tsunade-sama had expected this, and she didn’t blame him. “It’s the council’s opinion that”
“The council’s or Ebisu-sensei’s?” Ekyt asked, a very real edge in his voice. Tsunade’s mouth dropped open in shock.
“You-wait, Ebisu…” she sputtered for a second.
“The Kazekage came here and attacked me, threatening the Village in the process. I’d like to think that any self-respecting Shinobi’s nindo would include protecting the Village and it’s inhabitants with every last breath in their body!”
Ekyt pushed away from the window, both eyes closed, his breath deeper with the rage in his chest.
Tsunade closed her eyes and sat down. “I understand, you know. But I can’t do anything without the council’s approval. If I had my way, you’d have been a chunin three years ago, at least.”
“Be honest with me, please Tsunade-sama- what are the chances I will EVER be promoted in rank?”
Tsunade’s reply took a suspiciously long time, and Ekyt knew it.
“So I was right…someone is holding me back…that explains the lack of missions as well…”
Ekyt straightened up, his eyes half-lidded.
“Then let me relieve you of one last burden Tsunade-sama. It’s about the only thing left I can do for the good of the Village.”
Ekyt reached for his hitai-ate. He untied the not that bound the head-covering styled forehead protector to his head. He let it drop into his hand, where it rested at his side.
“What are you…don’t you dare!” Tsunade warned Ekyt. “We don’t want you to leave!”
“We? Or you…?” Ekyt replied sadly. “I’m not going to leave. But I’m not going to be a half-assed Shinobi either. I’m doing it right, or not at all.”
Tsunade, who had been so close to one of her trademark displays of rage, stared at Ekyt for a few moments. Then she sank down into her chair, cupping her hands in front of her.
“Please…just wait it out. Things are going to change in the council. But I ask you, not as Hokage, but as a friend…trust me. Let me fix this. In the mean time, you keep your nose clean. Sound fair?” Tsunade offered her hand.
Ekyt looked at the hitai-ate in his hand. He put it back on his head and tied it securely on top of his head again.
“Sounds fine. I really appreciate it.” Ekyt took her hand, and in doing so, took her word.


NEXT ISSUE: A SURPRISING ADDITION TO THE COUNCIL. AND, GETTING TO KNOW TEAM 7! DON’T MISS IT, DATTEBAYO!

You are not authorized to comment here. Your must be registered and logged in to comment